RELEASE: Ohio Republican Party Statement on Wright State Hosting First Presidential Debate

Following the reports that Wright State University will host the first general election presidential debate next September, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges released the following statement:

"Every President elected since 1964 has won Ohio.  There is no question that our state is the bellwether for presidential elections.  Our state was proud to host the first republican presidential primary debate and we're excited to hear that Ohio will also be hosting the first general election debate.  As Ohio goes, so goes the nation."

RELEASE: Judge Pat DeWine Announces Candidacy for Ohio Supreme Court

Cincinnati, OH-

Judge Pat DeWine of Cincinnati is proud to announce his candidacy for the Ohio Supreme Court in the 2016 election. Judge DeWine currently serves as a judge on the Court of Appeals, and will be running for one of the two open seats on the Ohio Supreme Court in 2016.

On Friday September 18th, Judge Pat DeWine received the official endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party and the State Central Committee. "I am honored to receive the support of the Republican Party", said DeWine. "I look forward to continuing to travel across the state, and talk to voters about the importance of this election."

As part of his official announcement for his candidacy for the Ohio Supreme Court, Judge DeWine has released a video on social media detailing his efforts.

You can watch the official announcement video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcEvIoI9Bic&feature=youtu.be The announcement video is also available on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/JudgePatDeWine?fref=ts) or on his website, PatDeWine.com.

Judge DeWine has broad experience. He has served as both an appellate and a trial court judge; he practiced law for for 13 years at one of Cincinnati's largest law firms; he clerked on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; and he has served as a member of Cincinnati City Council and as a Hamilton County Commissioner.

MATT: It's a good thing Pat decided to run since the Ohio Republican Party already endorsed him last week before he decided to run.....

"Conservative" Ohio Republicans and Their Budget

According to St. Rep. John Becker, the legislature passed a "budget that is a mix of state and federal dollars. The annualized spending of state dollars is increasing at triple the 1.6 percent inflation rate from current actuals. Federal dollars are being spent at 4.8 times the inflation rate. The people of Clermont County did not send me to Columbus to spend their money faster than they can earn it. Did I mention that Obamacare Medicaid expansion was baked into this?"

He's right. That budget was and is a disaster. But Ohio Republicans, many of whom go around their districts claiming to be conservatives and fiscally responsible, are still bending over backwards trying to pat themselves on the back for their support for continued expansion of government that is already runaway out of control and, in the case of the federal government, staggeringly in debt.

Let me emphasize something Rep. Becker said, "The annualized spending of state dollars is increasing at triple the 1.6 percent inflation rate from current actuals." You have to ask yourselves if everybody else in the state got a raise or something. Where is this money coming from? Team Kasich is telling us that this budget cuts taxes...and it does, sort of...by shifting the burden of taxation elsewhere. But "conservative" Ohio Republicans will still talk about how they are cutting taxes. What they aren't telling you is that they are spending even more tax dollars than before.

Whatever happened to the idea of reining in spending and reducing government? "Conservative" Ohio Republicans have no answer for that question because they have no interest in doing either. All they care about is conning you into voting for them.

Here's what I wrote in my Heartland Institute piece on the budget:

"Government spending will increase by 11 percent, compared to the previous biennial budget, most of which comes from Kasich’s continued support for increasing entitlement spending, such as Medicaid.

Kasich’s Medicaid expansion program is costing state taxpayers $1.4 billion per year—about $258.14 per taxpayer—more than budget projections predicted, causing the program to exceed its budget by about 63 percent."

But at least St. Peter will be happy with us.....